there's a dull ache that you can hear underneath my words
if you listen closely,
i don't speak very often anymore
but i still say a lot
to those who are trying to hear me.
this is true on most days.
other days there is an emptying hole
behind the phrases i utter
and anther worse in place of the ones i don't
but no one can see that,
not even the ones who want to,
because on those days no one can see me,
the hole has swallowed me up
with every word
i was too afraid to say.